Gabe Newell was an enthusiastic supporter of OpenAI in 2018, donating $20 million and even acting as the sole member of an ‘informal advisory board’
Emails released in the ongoing Musk v. Altman lawsuit have revealed Gabe Newell’s substantial early involvement with OpenAI. The Valve founder and CEO contributed $20,008,279 to the artificial intelligence company in 2018 and served as the sole member of an “informal advisory board” during the organization’s formative years.
The disclosures come from internal correspondence spanning roughly 2016 to 2020, when OpenAI was significantly less prominent than it would later become following the release of ChatGPT. A notable email from tech venture capitalist Shivon Zilis—who maintained a seat on OpenAI’s board until 2023—to Elon Musk documents Newell’s advisory role. The revelation highlights the significant roles various major tech industry figures played in OpenAI’s earliest days and demonstrates the company’s efforts to secure financial and strategic support from influential leaders across the technology sector.